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Run for your life.
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Monday: First club pool swim session. 800m warmup, then sets of 200m drills. Very hard going, and my arms ache like hell today. Total of maybe 2000m, Ive tried and failed to add it up in my head.
Put myself in the slow lane, but was probably the strongest swimmer in it, which was good for my head. Im sure that will all change when the others find their rhythm and pass me by. 0 -
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Friday, start of the tougher runs. Did 7.4 miles in the evening, but it took me just over an hour. My pace has really slowed. It was a good route tho, with a 1.8 mile hill near the start, and plenty of other uphill drags. Next long run will need to be about 9 miles, I want to get to at least 12.
Today I got out early to the pool for a short swim. 25 mins easy working on my arms. Am tired now, the combination of run and swim so close together has knocked it out of me. 0 -
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Swam this morning because I will miss the club session later. After a few warm up lengths I did 50 lengths of 20m pool in under 24 mins. Must check if thats faster or slower than before. Did some drills after that, and thats all I have planned for today. Apart from a kids party which will be mental. 0
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Had a rest day yesterday (26th). Today I went out early for a jog, did 10.75k in 55 minutes on the old route I used when I started running, and hadnt run in ages. It felt slow and the hills felt steep, but I reckon I was only a minute slower than other times Ive done it. But a gorgeous morning to be out, with brilliant sunshine, it felt really warm too, even before nine. First day wearing longs, only because my shorts were in the wash. I have a pair of skins Ive never worn because they made me feel like Tron, must dig them out and wear em. 0
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Rested Tuesday. Didnt intend to but as usual life got in the way.
Out for a run last night (Wednesday). Did around four and a half miles, but it took about 40 mins. Really not on form, legs were heavy and I got heartburn. Dehydrated too, I think. Thats what I get for drinking coffee all day and wolfing down bread and jam before I go out.
I am really, really not ready for Ballbuster. But sure if you were to wait till you were ready for something, youd hardly do anything at all. The race report should be interesting, disqualified or dnf, which shall it be?? I'll just try to make it less of a disaster than some of the others (forgetting my helmet, etc), which on reading back, are a complete comedy of errors. 0 -
Well whaddya know? I'm now officially a ball buster. I beat the damn cutoff with 3 minutes to spare. And it was a great race, with a nice hoody as a souvenier. Who knew I had it in me? I certainly didnt.
Full race report will follow, but right now leg cramp is cramping my style.0 -
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This was the event that caused me much worry for the last few weeks, because I didnt think I was strong enough for it, and particularly so when they put in the 3hour cutoff for the first two stages. The event, which is considered the equivalent to a marathon in terms of endurance, consisted of an 8 mile course; a mile and a half uphill, a mile undulating, some fast descents mixed with one or two short climbs, then a two miles of hairpin climbs up Box Hill to the end of the lap. So the hardest part was last. Lovely.
This being England, and them being a bit keen and all, the start time was 8am sharp, which meant being there well before 7 to register and set up transition. But it was organised to a T, and I didnt have any catastrophes like forgotten helmets this time. In fact I was at the start smiling and calm, which is very unlike me. I must do UK events more often.
The first run (one 8 mile lap of the course) started uphill, but I kept to 8.5min miles, pace crept up on the downhills, and by some of the steep descents I was going sub 8 minutes. The pace felt comfy tho, and this race is all about pacing. Got to the bottom of Box hill feeling fine and plodded up it without a problem, just a hell of a lot slower than the rest of the run. First run 1.06.
The bike took you three times around the same route, so three times up that bloody hill. Just got my head down and went as hard as I could on the rest of the route, but once I hit that climb my legs went into cramp mode. On the first two laps I ended up pedalling up the climb with solidly cramped up calves, telling myself 'its only pain, Im not stopping' like a mantra. I was watching the time the whole way around with the cutoff in mind, and I had 15 mins to do the last climb in order to make it. It took me 12. Funnily enough on the third lap my legs didnt cramp. I think they had decided I wasnt listening anyway, and gave up. Did the bike (24 miles) in 1.48. Not fast by normal standards, but bloody good for a pleb like me on flat pedals.
The last run was a joy (well for the first six miles anyway). I caught up with lots of others, and chatted to anyone I passed, I was in my happy place and actually enjoying it. I know my pace here was as good as the first run, I was keeping an eye on it. But by the last go up that hill, I was feeling pooped. Not breathless or burnt out, just physically tired. I ended up doing a stop start run walk thing and still managed to pass other poor souls who were suffering on the slog. Finished the run in 1.08.
Total time of 4.07, which is a lot better than my estimate of 4.5 hrs. I was way down the field though as this is quite an elite race (which would explain why I was gettin constantly lapped on the bike). But its a victory for me, and this race was a great finish up to my year.
Yeehaw. Roll on next year. 0 -
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Doesnt a year fly when you are having fun? Its kind of the birthday of this log, so its time to review the year, and plan for next year.
Did I achieve all I set out to do? Well, not quite, my plans changed over the last year, running became less of a focus, so no marathon, but all in all I think I did pretty much all I set out to do. I got a bike, Im slowly learning to ride it. I can swim now, well, at least better than I did this time last year. (When I think back, god, I was bad!). I did 3 adventure races. This time last year I didnt even know what they were. Ive come to realise my strengths lie in endurance events. The longer I have to go, the better it suits me. Short and fast events kill me. Must be my age.
Fifteen events in the bag, (one Toughguy, one 10k, one hill relay, 3 AR's, 3 sprint tri's, 2 ten miles, 2 half marathons, one duathlon, and one I cant even remember) with two events planned but dns, The Great Run, and the Race Series Half Mara. I know I put too many events into July and August and my stamina suffered, and I got burnt out. No pb's this year, but a benchmark for cycling that I need to work up from.
Ive enjoyed the year more than I ever thought I would. And Ive changed. I love my bike. I love swimming. I wear lycra suits so tight I wouldnt have worn them in the bedroom a few years ago. People tell me I look different, stand different. I find it hard to believe sometimes the stuff I can do now, and a year ago I couldnt. Ive proved something to myself that I needed to, which is that Im good enough to do these things, not just a tourist who comes last. Ok, so Im nearly last. But its a long road to go, and a lot of times and distances to beat. Another thing I learned - you are never 'there', theres always the next big thing to master.
My plan for next year:
I will master cleats. Really.
I will do my last ever Tough guy and I will walk the plank. Really, really.
I will turbo all winter to come into spring strong.
I will manage to drink whilst on the bike. (You didnt know I couldnt?)
I will complete Olympic distance tri in May or thereabouts
I will compete in Antwerp HIM in July.
I will compete in another HIM in September.
I will probably throw in another half dozen events I havent even heard about yet, but I WILL PLAN THEM BETTER.
I will find out, yet again, how far I can push my soon to be forty year old body.
Onwards, to 70.3 0 -
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Out this morning for a run. Did 5 miles easy. Not sure how easy as my garmin died halfway around. Under 45 mins is all I can say. Lovely run tho, legs arent too stiff at all. And such great weather. Frosty and clear. Still in short sleeves but I did give in and wear long leggings. Not a total hardcore nut. 0
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